diff --git a/t/op/io.t b/t/op/io.t
index 477f81a854..4c1ab1eaae 100644
--- a/t/op/io.t
+++ b/t/op/io.t
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ OUTPUT
 
 }
 
-TODO: {
-local $TODO = 'Testing';
+SKIP: {
+skip('alpha quality feature', 1);
 
 pir_output_is( <<'CODE', <<'OUTPUT', 'open pipe for writing' );
 .include 'iglobals.pasm'